TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT .
DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT;
AND ONE FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE.
THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, WROTE IN THE SAND, "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE".
THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS, WHERE THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH . THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.
AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE ON A STONE: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE".
THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND ASKED HIM, "AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW, YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?"
THE FRIEND REPLIED, "WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY. BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US, WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE, WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT".
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE. THEY SAY IT TAKES A MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIALPERSON, AN HOUR TO APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN, AN ENTIRE LIFETIME TO FORGET THEM.
Forgiveness is a key.... but so is Encouragement.... when a friend or someone hurts you, you need to forgive. When a friend or someone does something great for you, you need to tell them. Encouragement & Praise (in a good way) does a lot for people. Just a simple "thank you" is good, but in some cases, a little more is necessary. We as people (inperfect people) are quick to judge and condemn, but not so quick to praise. Forgiveness for me "seems" easy, but in reality sometimes I don't forget... and I can tend to be "bitter"... bitterness is not good, and not of God. I need to remember to let anger and unforgiveness blow away, instead of blowing me up inside. I also need to remember to LOVE and accept like Jesus.... although He didn't have any faults, I must remember that I do, and there is a verse in the Bible regarding the plank in my eye.
"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye
and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother,
'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly
to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
MATTHEW 7:2-5
Thanks for listening! GO and ACT upon this word spoken today!
~ Mitzi
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